When the Local called Emily Drinker, a Roxborough resident who’s scheduled to headline the third week of the Chestnut Hill Community Association’s summer concert series in Pastorius Park, she was just getting back from a songwriting retreat with five other independent female songwriters in New York’s Finger Lakes. Because of the wildfires that were burning in eastern Canada, Drinker and her companions weren’t able to enjoy the outdoors as much as they hoped.
But there was one good thing that came out of it. Drinker was inspired by the apocalyptic scene of a fire and smoke-filled landscape to write a song about the end of the world. The song was the result of a songwriting exercise in which Drinker was given a list of 12 adverbs, 12 adjectives and 12 nouns – all of which were provided by the other women in the retreat – to use as source material for a new song. She had an hour to write the song.
“I really thrive with limitations,” Drinker said. “I can write something so much more easily that way.”
It was a fun twist for Drinker, who typically waits for inspiration to strike before writing a song. It often occurs while she’s driving or in the shower.
“In those cases, I’ll make a voice memo on my phone and grab a guitar if I have one handy,” she said. “I’ll just come up with something right then and there.”
That’s how all the songs off Drinker’s last release, “Starting to Feel,” came about. “Starting to Feel” was released in April of last year. It’s an album that features an array of songs Chestnut Hill residents can expect to hear at Drinker’s June 28 concert in Pastorius Park, which starts at 7:30 p.m. The presenting sponsor is Temple Health – Chestnut Hill Hospital, and admission is free.
In part, due to Drinker’s previous career as predominantly a cover artist, her music features an array of genres, including elements of R&B, jazz, soul and country. But it’s mostly centered around folk and rock.
“The fun thing about the live show is that it’s so diverse musically,” Drinker said. “Although it's been morphing into a heavier sound lately because the guys in my band love rock and they love to rock out.”
The songs from the album, from “Starting to Feel” to “One Arm Hug” to “Finish My Sentence,” are inspired by Drinker’s experiences in relationships and other personal subjects. The lyrics are relatable.
“A lot of songs are about relationships and growing up and understanding myself as a younger person,” she said. “The intention is for people to relate to that in their own lives.”
A black and white picture of Drinker’s maternal grandmother, Nancy Friedman, graces the album cover. Why? For no particular reason.
“No songs on the album are about her,” she said. “It just felt like that should be the album cover. It doesn’t go too much deeper than that.”
There is some connection, however, between Chestnut Hill and Drinker’s paternal grandparents. Her father’s father, Hank Drinker, was a longtime pediatrician on Germantown Avenue. Her father’s mother, Marilyn Drinker, worked at Monkey Business, a thrift shop formerly located behind Cosimo's Pizza Cafe, for the 57 years it was open. The shop closed in 2012.
“I grew up being in that area a lot,” Drinker said, referring to Chestnut Hill.
So in a way, her concert in Pastorius Park will be somewhat of a homecoming.
“I’m hoping for a big dance party at Pastorius where people will feel comfortable and free to enjoy themselves,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
